D-Link has always been a lower priced router with high value, and the D-Link 713P is no exception. The Broadband gateway offers Wireless 802.11b, a 3 port 10/100 switch, a COM Port for backup connectivity, and a print server! That's lots of value under $130!

The 713-P comes bundled with a CD with documentation and the print server software, as well as quick setup. We found the setup of the router to be very simple and we were up and running wireless in less than a few minutes.







The D-Link 713-P main admin screen. This shows 2.60B2 of the firmware, which adds DDNS and UPnP (Click to Enlarge)

On the outside, the device is a bit larger than most of the routers in this class, measuring in at 9 inches wide, 6 inches deep, and about 1.5" high. The case is a metallic plastic, and although it doesnt offer wall mounts, it does have 4 non-slip rubber feet that plug into the bottom. On the back, you will find all the ports for power and LAN/WAN. There are 3 10/100 LAN ports, and one RJ-45 WAN Port. You will also find a hardware reset switch, a 9 Pin COM port, and a 25 Pin Printer port for the print server.

The 713-P is powered by a small 12v power supply, a bit more voltage than the standard with most routers in this class. There is the standard wed administration interface in the D-Link, and it has the usual Virtual Servers options, and many other options you would find in many SOHO wireless routers. The D-Link also supports VPN passthru, allows VPN connections to work through this router. One thing we found that was odd was the inclusion of UPnP in the latest firmware v2.60b2, but there is no area within the administration to disable or manage the UPnP. By default, it was turned on and XP Pro did recognize the router when we were connected to it, although we didn't test this feature, this does show promise that many SOHO routers will eventually include this handy feature.







The D-Link 713-P offers the TZO.COM Dynamic DNS Service integrated directly into the router. This allows you to have a domain name that "synchs" up wih the routers WAN IP Address. This allows you to run a server even if you have a Dynamic IP address from your ISP (Click to Enlarge)

Overall, D-Link has a winner of a product here. It seems that UPnP and Dynamic DNS are the biggest addition to the router recently, and add tremendous value. For the money, this router has features that are perfect for any size home or office. The Print server and COM port backup offer lots of additional value that you don't find in most routers within this class.

- Easy setup using any browser (simple and easy and OS Independent)
- (3) 10/100 LAN port and serial COM port for dial-up backup WAN access
- Platform Independent for all clients - Windows, Mac, Linux
- Documentation included on CD, 25 pin Parallel port ,and 9 Pin COM port
- LED's show modem status, link/activity per port, WAN and WLAN activity
- PPPoE, Dial-up WAN, NAT Based Firewall,
- Latest firmware (v2.60b2) adds Dynamic DNS as well as UPnP

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars - The D-Link 713-P is an excellent choice for any small or home office. It's a stable router, offers both wireless and wired clients, and some nifty value added options like TZO DDNS integration and UPnP price is great and the backup dialup WAN is a great feature.
Pros: Great price, Platform Independent, Dialup WAN backup. TZO.COM Dynamic DNS and other DDNS integrated into the router, also has Print Server and UPnP
Cons: The print server may not work from all operating systems, the TZO DDNS worked fine, but we couldnt get the other DDNS providers to work properly for some reason. With the DHS, we couldnt get their website to come up either.

D-Link Wireless Cable/DSL Router - Model DI-713P
Current Street Price: $129.00

D-Link, Inc.
53 Discovery Drive
Irvine, CA 92618
(877) 45D-LINK
http://www.d-link.com

Available now at:
http://www.pcconnection.com
http://www.computers4sure.com
http://www.cdw.com


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